The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is in the process of replacing 23 judges that are soon retiring, including the Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma.
In a letter written Monday and addressed to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), the JSC says the resolution to fill the vacant positions was reached at their sixth meeting held on March 29, with the position of the head of the Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court falling vacant on September 29 this year.
The other positions to be filled include two in the Supreme Court, four in the Court of Appeal and sixteen in the High Court.
The Constitution requires a judge of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, which also sits as the Constitutional Court, to retire at 70 years while a judge of the High Court retires on turning 65 years.
it is alleged that Justice Kavuma tried change his age just months to the end of his public legal career but the application was met with stiff resistance from both the public, the JSC and the Ministry of Public Service.
However, a family member told this Website that what is referred to as changing his age is a battle for his replacement within the Judiciary where some of his colleagues plotted on how to make it hard for him should he be considered for an extension of his stay as the number two in the judiciary.
Other judges set to retire are Augustine Nshimye Sebuturo , judge of the Supreme Court; Justice Akiiki-Kiiza (High Court), Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi, (Judge of the International Crimes Division of the High Court), Justice Elizabeth Nahamya (International Crimes Division of the High Court) and Justice Jotham Tumwesigye of the Supreme Court.
